Chapter 303: Status

Now, with Barbo and Mina's shop under Ned's House, they were given a leeway to gather necessary materials needed to craft his first gun made from his own layout, in a world where magic fuels it instead of technology.

Ned wanted to craft the revolver himself. But since time was a constraint, he's got the least of a choice but to let the two blacksmiths assist him. Even though temporary, they might prove themselves useful to Ned.

Plus, he got the discounted price. Pretty sure anyone would be happy being discounted.

After taking his time to search for weapons available in the shop, Ned decided to purchase a short-sword. He was fond of short-sword due to their flexibility of use. It wasn't heavy like claymores nor too short like daggers.

Barbo insisted that Ned take the Grade C dagger for free. But since Ned took too much of their time and resources, and he wasn't someone to save any debts, Ned made sure to pay back the 11, 000 gold coins for the sword.

Barbo named the sword: Krisalix. Which he based on the main ingredient the sword was made: a thick and bluish scale that produces a sound when wind passes through. Krisalix was a magical beast of Grade C in rank and was hunted down by a team of Hunters far north of the Bogblot region. Although the beast was highly aligned to the Wind element, once crafted, it lost most of its potential and was replaced by the blacksmith's skills. Now, with Barbo's experience, he crafted a short-sword once mana injected could make any metal cower from the sight of its edge.

The Krisalix sword was thin, with the length almost the same as Ned's forearm, and the edges in bluish color along with the hilt made of light metal wrapped with leather to increase friction.

After learning that Barbo was a Hollow, Ned wondered how would a blacksmith create magical items without having to inject his own mana. But since Ned was new to the vastness of Earflgard, he chooses to empty his cup and decides to fill it slowly with knowledge the world has to offer.

Ned was even surprised that he felt a bit threatened even though Barbo was a Hollow. Luckily for Ned, he wasn't underestimating his opponents regardless of whom they were.

To properly gauge the strength of Krisalix, Ned used the skill Inspect which gave him a satisfactory result.

The Krisalix was a Grade C magical item, made of the scales of the beast it was slain, and produces a rhythm of sound once mana is injected in the sword; giving it more sharpness and sturdiness.

"Regardless of the result of the Exam." Ned tapped the hilt of Krisalix as he stood before Barbo and Mina inside their shop. "I will make sure to pay you back."

After leaving the shop, Ned stroll around the Market Ventura. But without gold coins to spend on, he decided to went back to the Forgotten Pint instead.

Teklavit wasn't there, so Ned helped the twins before going up back to his room.

The sun was setting the moment he went to his room. Ned threw his body over the bed and rested but not to the point that he would sleep. He was waiting for the sun to fully hid itself.

30 minutes have passed and Ned was sweating half naked with only his undergarment as he pushes himself against the floor.

"789." Ned's sweat dripping from his chin as he counted the times he was pushing up and down.

He needed to make sure he was in the right mood and right physique. No room for errors once he set out his plans.

Another hour passed, the sun was nearly out the horizon. Still, Ned was doing his daily routine. This time he was setting himself with his mana orbiting over his palm.

Just like Teklavit, and the twins, Ned let the orb of energy hover around his hands to know if how long he will last. It has been an hour, and he doesn't felt any fatigue even though his mana was constantly, yet slowly, reducing.

20 minutes have passed, Ned took the shower. The Krisalix and the broken Butterfly were set on the bed. Ned stood and look at the two swords while he crossed his arm. Besides the pair of swords was the Kurashinpi.

Before Ned set out his plan, he checked his body's status.

A series of chiming echoed in his head with a burst of light appeared in his display.

[Mana Points: 4, 678 / 6,000]

[Energy: 76% / 100%]

[At Rank 2, Overclock lasts 30 seconds. During this time, adrenaline is being pumped out of your body. Boosting your strength, speed, senses by 30.]

Also, during Overclock. Ned's spells were boosted on both conjuring time, and strength and the speed the spell travels from Ned to the target.

[Egnious Rank 2. Produces a globe of magical energy that lets the host inject more mana depending on the use. The more mana injected, the more it became powerful. The greater the recoil.]

[Fireball Rank 2. Produces a ball of fire that explodes upon contact with the desired target. Blast radius, strength, and conjuring speed depends on the rank.]

[Windball Rank 1. Produces a ball of wind that explodes and pierces the target upon contact. Blast radius, strength, and conjuring speed depends on the rank.]

[Windlance Rank 1. Shoots a spear made of wind that pierces target upon contact. Speed depends on the rank.]

He has a spell called Firelance but was too early for Ned to gauge its proper strength since Windlance was far better in terms of travel speed, conjuring speed, and effectiveness as it could pierce its target much better.

[Defender from the Mark of the Knight, Rank 2. This skill able the host to negate some of the damage taken from both physical and magical attacks.]

The negation of the skill Defender, as what Ned has felt so far, was from the strength of an attack coming from Grade E and later ranks of Grade D. Although, he doesn't want to stay slacking just because he could negate damages. He might not know some items makes certain user stronger even though they were weaker.

[Mark of the Knight also made Ned impervious to death at the cost of a massive amount of mana. Mana taken from the host is 10, 000 points and was reusable upon use is one year.]

[Inspect and Detect.]

[At Rank 2, Inspect spell able to read items raging from Grade E and D. The result will depend on the rarity.]

[With Inspect skill. The host injects his mana into the item he desired to read. Making the system do the rest of the reading. Depending on the host's database, there will be an incomplete list of items in the result.]

[Detect, Rank 2. Enable the host to expand his mana around his surrounding to detect lifeforms. The range and perception of the skill depending on the rank. Currently, it has a range of 20 meters.]

[Ned?]

What is it? Ned thought upon ICE's surprising voice.

[With the Prime Evolution evolved to Rank 1. The new value needed to rank it further increases as well. Do want me to show it?]

"Not that I have another choice." Ned fingered his wet hair and sat beside the mask Kurashinpi and the two swords. "Show it."

Ned frowned.

[Prime Evolution Rank 1.]

[Needed Core to evolve to Rank 2: 2,000 Cores.]

[Currently have 69 / 2, 000 Cores devoured.]

[At Rank 1, all of the host attack spells were amplified by 10%. It also gives the host to conjure Wind spells.]

"2, 000," Ned murmured to himself while rubbing the end of his chin. "Now that is something I don't need. But..."

Ned sighed and at one point, between the organizing of his stuff, he remembered something.

"The Plain." Ned stood and walked back and forth the room with his feet marching in unison. "What was that?"

Ned remembered how the time inside the Plain was a constraint to the point that Ned felt the difference once he was out of it. But he doesn't have the slightest idea how he could enter into it since that was the first time that happened to him. Yet, there's nothing he can do at the moment.

With his stuff ready, Ned put on the Silk Road and injected his mana into it, changing its appearance.

Ned was clad in a black robe with the edges shredded to look like ribbons. These ribbons fluttered as soon as he walks, giving an effect as though Ned was swimming under the water.

He then put on the mask, giving him an additional dramatic effect as though he was a spawn of hell.

"I needed chains for the effect to look like one*." Ned's voice was muffled under the mask.

The half-broken mana started to repair itself the moment Ned injected mana into it. He slung the broken Butterfly on his left waist using the straps from his newly gotten sword. While he put the Krisalix to his inventory along with the pouch slouched with gold coins.

He then bends over to test his newly transformed Silk Road in terms of flexibility.

Satisfied, Ned walked over the window.

After unlocking the hinges, Ned passed through the window.

He smiled under the mask, as the night sky was more than enough to let his plan be in action.

"To the underground then."